Failed Connection
by Gunnery Sergeant
Summary: 4th story in the "Reconnection" universe. The team isn't reacting as well as hoped to the revelation of Gibbs' vampire nature. Now Tony and Gibbs are forced to deal with the situation... Gibbs/Tony SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

**Failed Connection**

**By Gunnery Sergeant**

_Sequel to "Reconnection, Tony version", "Heartland Connection" and "Secret Connection._

_Set about ten days after the events of "Secret Connection"._

-----

"That's all Abs," Tony said as he put a box full of evidence on the steel table in her lab. "Have fun," he teased as he moved toward the door to return to the squad room and start the investigation of Captain Leigh's murder.

"Tony, wait!" Abby called and he stopped on his tracks and turned around with an interrogative expression.

"Yes?"

"Well, we haven't had any time for one of our movie nights since your return from the _Seahawk_, and I was sorta wondering if we could do it this evening."

Tony narrowed his eyes as he slightly tilted his head. He could see the tension in Abby's shoulders and the way she played with one of her pigtails.

He knew watching a movie was the last thing on her mind in that moment. It wasn't the reason she wanted to see him, and while a part of him didn't enjoy the prospect of an evening spent answering questions, another part was grateful she had finally taken the first step. The tension of the past days was beginning to grate on his and Jethro's nerves.

Everything had seemed fine after Gibbs had been forced to reveal his vampire nature to Abby, Ducky, Ziva and McGee in order to save Tony's life. The team had reacted well and Tony had been moved when he had listened to their promises to never reveal Jethro's secret. He had mostly been happy for his lover, because that would mean Gibbs would be able to lower his guard and be truly himself with other people other than himself and Jackson Gibbs.

Gibbs had been pleased too, although he had told Tony he expected their friends and colleagues to need more time and a less emotional state to really digest what they had seen and been told. His lover had also alerted him to be prepared, because there would be more questions, for both of them.

However things weren't going as expected—or perhaps just hoped. Tony could feel the speculative gazes the others threw at him and Gibbs when they thought they wouldn't notice. The lovers felt observed, examined, scrutinized, and it was getting uncomfortable.

Jethro had kept his temper in check to give their friends time to adapt, but Tony knew his mate's patience was wearing thin, as was his own.

Thus he decided to accept Abby's invitation in the hope of starting to make everything right again.

"Sure, Abs," he answered with a grin, "Your place or mine?"

"Mine, 20:00 and don't be late," Abby said and Tony noticed her shoulders relax.

"Yes, Ma'am!" he answered with a sloppy military salute, "I'll be there."

-----

Later that evening, precisely at 20:00, Tony rang Abby's doorbell. She opened and let him inside with a smile and a hug, and gestured for him to go into the living room. He did and wasn't surprised to discover Ducky, Ziva and McGee there too. He greeted them with a wave of his hand and ignored the way they were all looking at him.

He sat on the couch, removed his jacket and picked up a slice of pizza from the open box resting on the coffee table. He ate it, took another, ate that too, drank from the beer bottle Abby handed him, all the while he wondering how long it would take to the others to break the silence.

Finally, since no one seemed to want to make the first move, Tony leaned against the back of the couch, spread his arms atop of it and said, "So Abs, let me guess what we're gonna watch…" he furrowed his brow, as if he was in deep thought, then added, "We're gonna watch _Interview With The Vampire'_s… lover."

The others reacted with surprised gasps and arched eyebrows and he chuckled. "Come on guys, I know some of you have no respect of my deductive abilities, but it wasn't that difficult to guess."

"Aren't you angry?" Abby asked.

"Of course not. Jethro and I knew it was bound to happen. You're all very curious people. It was a given you'd have more questions about him and his kin. And also, well, all your staring at us these past days sorta gave you away…" he glared at them. "Don't tell me you believed we wouldn't notice?"

There was a long moment of embarrassed silence, then Tony sighed, "Come on, people, we aren't angry, otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"So you're authorized to talk…" Ziva smirked.

"Yep. Ask and I'll do my best to answer, although I can't guarantee I'll be able satisfy your curiosity if you've very specific questions about vampires. I'm still learning myself and Gibbs isn't exactly a talker…"

Ducky laughed softly from the armchair where he was sitting, "Of course, Anthony."

"So," Abby began, pacing in front of him, "how long have you two been together?"

Tony smirked, "I don't think it's your business."

Abby pouted. "We need to establish your reliability as a vampire expert," she said sounding like a lawyer in court.

"Not buying it, Abs. You're just curious. Anyway," he answered, looking at the assembled group, "we've been together for the past sixteen months."

"That's a record for you!" Ziva exclaimed and Tony threw her a dirty glare, but refused to take the bait.

"And you've known Gibbs was a vampire since…?" Abby interjected.

"Same time. He told me just before he said he loved me."

"Just like that?" inquired McGee.

Tony snorted. "Well, Probie, the boss isn't the romantic type that goes for long love declarations…or maybe he would have gone for it had I not forced his hands."

"How?" McGee asked, with a little frown.

"Do you remember when last winter we found a dead Marine in a public park in Arlington?" Tony continued.

"Yes, I remember him," Ducky interjected. "The poor fellow's throat had been slashed, he had bled out but there was no blood on the crime scene."

"I remember too, yes," Ziva said rising to her feet and gesturing with her hand. "We discovered that other people had been killed in the same way…and you," she pointed an accusing finger toward Tony, "started talking about vampires."

"Yeh, Gibbs was pretty pissed off about it," McGee added.

"Of course he was! 'Cause there was indeed a vampire involved and he had to find a way to catch him without compromising the safety of his kin," Tony said, not hiding a bit of irritation. "Which he did, by the way, even if that murder ended among our cold cases. The killer was dealt with off record by Gibbs and a few other vampires. The murderer won't kill anyone else."

The others nodded in understanding, then Ziva said with a speculative tone, "I remember he disappeared one afternoon, saying he was going to visit the vampire community…He did it for real!"

"Yep. He did, but we all believed he was fooling us," Tony confirmed with a smile. "Boss is a sneaky one. He hid the truth in plain sight—and we didn't see it."

"What happened next?" Abby pressed impatiently.

"Well, Gibbs didn't return to the office after his mysterious errand, so, our fearless assassin, McGeek and I decided one of us had to check on him. I did. I found him in his basement with a bottle of Jack. I tried to cheer him up making a joke about vampires…He lost it then. He told me vampires existed, told me about them…and then revealed his true nature to me."

Tony closed his eyes remembering the moment Gibbs had bared his fangs. The long, sharp, pointed teeth had given him a completely different expression, making him look feral, dangerous and even more intense he usually was. The fangs also made Jethro look as sexy as hell, especially when he stared hungrily at him.

He shifted slightly on the couch and when he opened his eyes he found Ziva and Abby observing him, making him realize that something in his expression or body reaction must have betrayed his thoughts.

"What?" he snapped. "I was just remembering."

The two women smirked, but didn't say anything, and he was glad when McGee interjected, "What Gibbs told you about vampires…is the same he told us in the tunnel?"

"Yes…I learned more in the following months. He sometimes tells me things about his kin, bits and pieces here and there."

"I see…then maybe you can explain this to me. When we were blocked in the tunnel, he said that vampires need blood to stay young…" McGee began hesitantly.

"That's true."

"But, well, the boss isn't that young…" McGee's voice trailed off, as if he was afraid he had offended Gibbs or something like that.

Tony smiled. "As he explained me, once vampires reach their maturity around 25 to 30 years old, they have two main options. They can start drinking blood regularly and remain forever young, or they can drink only occasionally and get old the same as humans do. Those who choose the first option often live hidden from society, or they need to keep on changing location before people may notice they don't age. This option is mostly chosen by vampires without a companion or with mates of their own kin. The ones who fall in love with humans instead, usually prefer to get old along their partners and live a normal "human life span". Then, after their mates have died, they retire in secluded place, have a steady diet of blood, get young again and then they are ready to start a new life…" Tony's voice faltered. Gibbs' blood, which he had tasted for the first time when his lover had used it to heal him for his fatal wound in the tunnel, would lengthen his life well into his second hundred years, but then he would die too. He hated to know that one day he would have to leave Jethro alone, but he was aware there was nothing he could do to change it.

"How young can they return to in age?" Abby asked, "Children?"

"As far as I understood, they stop again when they look 17 to18. This way they can enrol at a college and start again from there."

"Cool! A mature man or woman in a college kid's body!" Abby exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"I am not sure it is very _cool_, Abigail," Ducky commented. "They would stand out as a sore thumb. Speech patterns, behaviour, everything will set them apart."

"Ducky, Gibbs told me his kin has a great ability to adapt and that during the period they spend in seclusion, they learn to behave again as appropriate for the age they look to be, even if they don't lose the maturity and knowledge gained along the years…or centuries."

"So this is what Gibbs is doing, yes?" Ziva asked.

"Sort of. He drinks only the blood he needs to stay at the top of his condition while avoiding starting the rejuvenating process." Tony had no intention to reveal Jethro hadn't drunk for eighteen years out of loyalty to Shannon's memory, his first love and donor. That was something too private. "He'll decide what to do next – remain like he is now or keep on aging – after he retires from NCIS."

"He certainly is in top condition!" Ziva exclaimed. "Have you seen how he trashed all those new recruits during Monday combat training lesson? Most of them were 20 to 25 years younger than him and several had military training…and yet…be beat all of them, without running into a sweat."

"Breaking," Tony corrected, smiling at the admiration in her voice. "Trust me, Ziva, you've no idea of how lethal he can be with his bare hands."

"You do?" the Israeli wondered.

"Oh yeh…When we were in Stillwater, we had a run-in with ten thugs armed with baseball bats. Winslow didn't take well his son-in-law's arrest. I can tell you I've never seen someone move so quickly or fight so efficiently, not even in movies full of special effects. Gibbs was a force of nature."

"I would have loved to see it," Abby commented.

"Me too," Ziva and McGee echoed in unison.

"Well, I could try and convince him to give a demonstration, using you two as sparring partners." Tony snickered as McGee paled and Ziva looked suddenly very nervous. "Just joking, Probie, don't look so scared. You too, Zee-vah." She glared at him but then relaxed.

"Are there many vampires in America?" McGee asked when he recovered from his fright.

"I don't know. Gibbs told me vampires are about .5 to1percent of the world populace, so you can do the math and calculate how many are supposed to be in the US."

"That would be quite a low number…" Ducky commented.

"Unfortunately, only a small percentage of vampires are able to have children; all the others are sterile and it keeps the numbers down."

The others nodded, and he was pretty sure all of them were thinking about Gibbs and his late daughter.

"So," Tony said after the silence had stretched for a few minutes, "any more questions?"

"Just one Anthony," Ducky replied, and his serious voice, so foreign to the relaxed mood that had reigned so far, made a shiver run along Tony's spine.

"Yes?"

"From whom, exactly, does Jethro drink?"

Tony smiled, "I thought it was obvious: he drinks from me."

"And does it hurt?" Abby asked, her expression suddenly very sober.

"What?" Tony asked back stunned.

"When he bites you and sucks your blood," she clarified.

"Yeah, it hurts a bit, but it passes soon and before you ask it, Ducky, he always heals my wounds after he is done."

"Yes, I'm sure he does, since he caused them. But the point is has he the right to inflict them in the first place?"

Tony frowned, "I don't think I understand."

"Why doesn't he drink from someone else? Or, even better, why doesn't he drink from a blood bank?" Ziva asked pointedly, and suddenly Tony realized that this matter, these questions were the real reason he had been asked to be here tonight.

He could sense the unease that had fallen over his friends as they had started talking about the bites, but he couldn't understand the reason beneath such tension.

"Vampires are predators. They're hunters in the core of their being, and they need to appease that part of their nature by drinking from living donors," he explained. "As for why Gibbs drinks from me, he considers the act a very…personal one…and he doesn't want to share it with strangers. And to be perfectly frank, I like when he drinks from me. It's a very intimate moment."

"But it's unnatural," Ziva sentenced.

Tony whipped his head around to look at her, surprised. "How can you say something like that? Don't tell me you have never given or received a bite during sex, 'cause I can't believe it!"

"Love bites are one thing, vampire bites are another!"

"Not if they are given with love," Tony shook his head and spread his hands in frustration. "What the hell is happening here? Why are you so interested about Gibbs' bites? I told you he doesn't hurt me. He would never, ever hurt his donors and he certainly would never kill one by draining all their blood."

"Of course Jethro would never do it. He's far too honourable. But we are concerned about you, Anthony." Ducky stood up and walked to stop in front of him as he continued, "My dear boy, having our body pierced by animal's fangs is one of our most primal fears. This is why a lot of people are scared by needles-- you included. Yet you just told us you enjoy having your body pierced by Jethro's fangs…Don't you see there is something strange in it?"

Before Tony could answer, Abby interjected, "Tony, we're concerned about your relationship with Gibbs. I mean, we all see how you strive to please him at work. You worship the ground he walks on. You even enjoy his head-slaps. As for him, his track record with relationships isn't good and we-"

Tony couldn't believe it. "Are you suggesting he is abusing me in some way?" he sputtered and interrupted her.

"Abuse it too much of a strong word, Anthony. We're concerned that Jethro's domineering personality, combined with your desire to please him is making you accept a situation which is far from normal."

Tony was stunned. He and Jethro had known that their friends would have had some difficulties in accepting that vampires existed and that Gibbs was one of them. They had known Ducky, Abby, Ziva and Timothy would need time to change and adapt the beliefs and prejudices instilled in them by society and myth but this…this was unthinkable.

Yes, he liked Gibbs' domineering personality. It grounded him and made him give his best on the job. It was the reason he had remained at NCIS even after the two-year mark had passed and he had started building a real life in DC.

He also knew that, no matter the good job he had done as a team leader while his boss was in Mexico, he preferred to be the second in command, not the skipper. There were fewer responsibilities, but he didn't like responsibilities, unlike his lover who enjoyed them.

As for their relationship, yes, he was a bottom. It had always been his preference when he had male lovers. But from that it was a long stretch to arrive to say he was letting Gibbs coerce him in doing something _unnatural_ as if he wasn't able to decide what was good for himself. It was an insult, to him, to his lover and to the absolute trust that was the basis of their bond.

Tony stood up and looking down at Ducky, he answered the question he had been asked earlier.

"No, Doctor Mallard, I don't see anything strange. What I see is that my friends – and my partner's – can't understand me and what there is between me and Jethro. I see that just because they can't understand it, they think there is something wrong. They are saying the man I love is exploiting me—and that, guys," he said looking at the assembled group, "is what is really wrong here. Now, if you forgive me, I've had enough for this evening. I'm still willing to answer your questions, if you can just stop insulting us and throwing shit on the best thing that ever happened to me."

Done trying to explain, Tony grabbed his jacked and walked out of the room and the house, without turning to look back even once.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to Phoenix Red Lion for the review: yes, Tony you should tell the other he can think with his head and Gibbs is not making him do anything he doesn't want to do, nbut at the moment he is too hurt to think straight. As for what will happen next...well, you'll have to read and see...:)

NOTE: since it looks like FFnet is taking its sweet time in registering the change of rating, the second half this part is **_M_** rated so beware!

-----

After he left Abby's place, it took Tony all of two minutes to decide he didn't want to go home. He wanted, no needed, to be with his lover tonight, so he drove to Gibbs' house.

When he arrived, he saw the building was enveloped in darkness and no light filtered from the basement windows. However the Charger was parked in the driveway, which meant Jethro had returned from his scheduled meeting with Vance and the SecNav.

The front door was unlocked as usual, but Tony locked it after slipping inside. It was better be prudent than sorry and not risk if someone – and especially one of the people he had just left – decided to stop by for an impromptu, although improbable, late hour visit and caught them in a moment of intimacy.

For the time being, he and Gibbs had decided to keep a low profile; avoiding sleeping over at each other's places too often. They would wait for his partner's mandatory retirement as field agent and Tony's boss to move in together, and the younger man was alternatively longing for that time and dreading it. On one hand he looked forward to living with Jethro, on the other, he knew everything would change on the job when the older man retired or was moved to an administrative job.

Tony pushed the thought away as he climbed the stairs; he made sure to avoid the creaky steps. Once upstairs, he saw the light was on in Gibbs' bedroom, and walked there.

He peeked inside, ready to greet his lover, but his words died on his lips as a smile spread on his face.

Jethro was lying on the bed atop the covers, dressed only in a grey t-shirt and blue boxers. He had fallen asleep with an open book on his chest. He was wearing his reading glasses, because his near sightedness was taking its sweet time returning to be as sharp as his far sight, and the small lines were still a problem.

Tony removed his shoes, and tiptoed inside the room, snickering softly when he saw the book that had put his lover to sleep was Thom E. Gemcity's latest novel. It wasn't the best of advertising for a detective story, and he made a mental note to tell it to Probie the first time the younger agent acted as a patronizing MIT ass.

He gently picked up the book, closed it and put it on the nightstand, and then he looked down, studying his lover's face. Gibbs looked younger, even a bit vulnerable when he was asleep and Tony felt privileged he was allowed to see it, no matter how sappy that thought was.

He bent forward and raised his hands to remove the glasses, when suddenly his wrists were seized by iron-strong fingers.

So much for Gibbs being vulnerable.

Keen blue eyes bored into his and Tony said, "Hell Boss, you scared five years of life out of me!"

"It'll teach you not to ogle sleeping men," was the gruff answer, as his wrists were released. Then his lover tilted his head, studying him, sat up with his back against the headboard, and asked, "What is it Tony?"

_Damn!_ He thought. Why had Gibbs to be so perceptive?

Tony knew he couldn't lie when confronted by that piercing look, and he couldn't evade the question either. What had happened that evening was very serious and no matter how much he would like to avoid burdening his lover, he knew he couldn't do it. Jethro needed to know.

"Abby invited me to watch a movie at her place," Tony answered slowly, sitting down on the edge of the mattress, his hand absently toying with the hem of the older man's t-shirt. "But when I arrived, I found Ducky, Ziva and McGee there too. It was clear they weren't there to watch a movie but to ask questions about us."

Gibbs nodded, "It was about time."

"Yeah…but it wasn't the kind of questions we were expecting."

"What?"

"Boss, everything was okay at the start. They wanted to know more about vampires in general, and I tried to satisfy their curiosity with what you told me. But then the questions turned far more personal."

"About us?"

"About you and how you treat me."

Gibbs frowned. "About how _I treat you_? What the hell does it mean?"

"It means they're concerned you're imposing your will on mine, making me doing things a _normal_ person shouldn't do."

His lover opened his mouth but no words came out aside an almost croaked, "What?"

"To make it short, they're convinced that since it's unnatural for a man to like to been bitten and have his blood sucked by a vampire, that I then allow you to do it to me only because you somehow are coercing me."

Tony cringed at the pained look appearing in Jethro's eyes and he reached out to caress his cheek, a gesture of affection his lover welcomed, gently pushing his face against his palm.

"How can they think that of me?" Gibbs whispered in a disbelieving tone.

"I don't know, Jethro," he replied softly. "I thought about it as I drove here from Abby's place, but couldn't find an answer. I tried to explain them how wrong they are, and I hope I managed to convince them."

"And if you didn't?"

"Then we'll face it together…okay?" Tony said with a smile, surprised to find him being the one reassuring his partner instead of the other way around.

"Yep."

Silence fell on them, and Gibbs relaxed against the headboard. He seemed to realize only then he still had his glasses on and raised his hand to remove them, but Tony stopped him.

"Leave them on," he said throatily. "You look hot with them on." They needed some distraction and what better way than find it in each other? He just hoped his lover would be up to it, and not prefer to spend the rest of the night mulling about what had happened.

Gibbs tilted his head and smirked, showing he was up to whatever Tony had planned, "How much hot?"

"As in Dante's_ Inferno_ hot."

"Am I your personal devil?" Gibbs whispered, as he leaned over.

"Yeah…that too," Tony breathed, before his mouth was seized in a hard kiss, which he returned enthusiastically. He was breathless when his mouth was released. "I take it you're gonna show me how hot you are…"

"Yep."

They quickly got rid of their clothes and soon they were writhing on the bed, bodies close, cocks trapped between heaving bellies, legs tangled, mouths locked together, hands running up and down strong backs.

After a while, Gibbs rolled Tony on his back and began expertly working his hand around his cock.

Tony arched his back off the bed with a loud groan. His lover knew exactly how and where to touch him to drive him wild.

"Be still," Jethro commanded with low growl, as his fangs made their appearance.

"God…" It was going to be one of those nights, when Gibbs was set to do all the work…Tony had wanted to be distracted and boy, he was about to get his wish!

His lover stretched over him, and worked his upper body with his mouth, tongue, fangs and hands.

Jethro flicked his tongue across his nipples, nibbled at his collar bones, and licked his abs, lazily tasting his skin, until with one last slide he was between his spread legs, letting his mouth taste the hot skin there.

"You taste good," he murmured before he wrapped his mouth around Tony's erection.

"Feels good," Tony gasped breathlessly, as his lover teased him, running his fangs along the younger man's length. He propped himself up on his elbows and watched avidly as the silver-haired head bobbed up and down.

Tony breathing was getting shorter as Gibbs worked him. When he was about to explode, he reached out and tugged at his lover's hair. "Stop…" he croaked, "wanna come with you inside…"

"Told you to be still…" his vampire lover said, as he slid up to capture his mouth, making love to it with lips, fangs and tongue.

Tony enjoyed the exploration and the thrill he always got when he tasted himself on the older man's lips, but he was getting too close and he needed more than Gibbs' tongue inside him.

He spread his legs even wider, as blatant an invitation as he could give with his mouth occupied and his body pressed down against the mattress.

Jethro took the hint, and after grabbing the lube in the nightstand shelf, he rose to his knees, flushed, erected, magnificent. As Tony watched with avid eyes, he coated his cock with a generous amount of gel. Then he got his bent legs under Tony, lifting his hips up off the bed.

Blunt but gentle, slick fingers slipped between Tony's cheeks and slid inside him, preparing him for the hard length resting hotly against his leg.

When he was ready, Jethro threw the lube in the general direction of the nightstand and cupped Tony's ass with his hands.

"Ready?" he growled.

"Was born re…a…dy," he moaned as his lover slid inside him and filled him to the hilt. He was given a moment to get used to the sensation, then the older man started moving, and Tony's eyes closed with pleasure.

Everything else blurred and he panted hard, soft moans being forced from him as Jethro rode him, almost pulling out and then pushing back in, again and again.

After a while, Jethro's strokes became longer and harder. Then he reached forward, stretched out his arms and grabbed onto the wooden headboard.

"Watch," he ordered, making a sound that seemed more an animal growl than his voice, "Watch me take you."

Unable to disobey that command, Tony opened his eyes and did as he was told. Jethro's silver hair was tinged dark with sweat, and his blue, lust filled eyes were looking down at him from behind his glasses, glasses that gave him the air of a college professor and contrasted wildly with his exposed fangs and a body no college professor would ever have.

Hard, toned muscles flexed across the broad shoulders and down his strong chest. His nipples were hard and Tony wished he could lick and nibble at them. His eyes slid further down, along Gibbs' strong belly and finally to his rocking hips and pelvis.

The hair had darkened there too with sweat and lube, and he could see Jethro's hard cock as it vanished inside his body, pulled out, and then plunged in again.

The sensations he was experiencing and the sight of what was causing them merged and Tony knew it was too much. He was about to come. But first…first he needed something.

"Bite me!" he said aloud, both plea and an order.

Jethro stopped in mid-stroke and looked down at him. "Don't need to…"

"I need it!" Tony almost cried, throwing back his head to bare his throat. "Do it! Now!"

With a roar, Jethro let go of the headboard and fell over him, his sharp fangs piercing his young lover's flesh.

"Yes!" Tony yelled as his orgasm rushed up at him and he exploded between their bodies, his hot, sticky come coating both of them.

Jethro raised his bloody mouth from Tony's shoulder and looked him in the eye as he kept pounding into him. The strokes were sharp and short now, and he was panting in his ear.

"Boss," Tony whispered his voice breathless and rough from his recent orgasm. "Love you."

"Love you too," Jethro grounded out between gritted teeth.

"Come," Tony encouraged, slipping both of his hands into the sweaty grey hair.

Gibbs' hips moved against him, harder and faster. "Almost there…"

Tony nodded and rested his face against his lover's neck and hung on, until the older man stiffened, his breath coming in harsh gasps as his orgasm approached. There was a deep, rumbling sound and Jethro's hips snapped into him once more, sharply, before he stilled and went boneless.

Jethro collapsed atop of him, and Tony wrapped his arms around his sweaty back, wishing to keep him close for as long as possible.

A few moments later, Gibbs came back to himself and braced himself on shaky arms, lowering his head to steal a sated, lazy kiss, before sagging sideways onto the bed, taking Tony with him so they were still facing each other as they rested on the pillows.

Raising a slightly shaking hand, Tony laid it against his lover's cheek, a mute gesture of affection.

Blue eyes shining with happy contentment rested on him, as Gibbs' hand reached up to cover his.

They were silent for a while as they caught their breath, then Jethro asked, his voice still rough. "What was that?"

"Huh?"

"You wanting me to bite you…you know I don't need to do it every time…"

"Told you…I needed it. I love the sensation…and it makes me feel special…wanted," Tony was aware he was probably blushing, but he couldn't care less.

Gibbs frowned. "You're special. You're wanted—always," he said fiercely.

"I know…but after spending the evening sharing titbits about vampires and about us with people that don't understand I wanted something I only can have…you."

Jethro nodded with a smile, "Yeah…I know. I guess people like you, Shannon, my father or Bill's wife are rare. If you weren't, vampires wouldn't need to keep their existence a secret. I just feel so damn glad I found you…" his eyes darkened with emotion.

"Me too…" Tony raised his arms and pulled Gibbs' head toward his own, so he could kiss him. He could feel his body get excited again and sensed an answering twitch in the cock still partly buried inside him. "Will you bite me again?" he whispered to his lover, as their hands started moving over each other's body.

"DiNozzo…"

"You don't need to drink…just bite me…"

Gibbs stared at him for a long while, his expression unreadable, "On one condition."

"What?"

"You let me get rid of these damn glasses."

Tony's happy laugh echoed in the bedroom before being silenced by his lover's mouth.

* * *

Liked the hot action? I hope so! Let me know, OK?


	3. Chapter 3

-----

Two evenings later, Tony woke up when he heard the front door close and footfalls come closer. Opening still sleepy eyes, he realized he had fallen asleep on the couch in Gibbs' living room, as he waited for his lover to join him.

"Hey," he said to the older man, lowering his shoeless feet to the ground. "Where were you? I bought some Chinese, but I'm afraid it'll be cold by now."

Gibbs walked near him and dropped to sit at his side, resting his head against the back of the couch.

"Something came up," he said with his eyes closed.

"Vance?"

"Nope. I had to paid a few visits…four to be precise," Gibbs added, turning his head to look at Tony.

He frowned for a moment, than realized the implication of that number. Four visits: Abby, Ducky, Ziva and McGee.

"How did it go?" he asked, even if the clouded look on Jethro's face didn't bode well.

"They asked questions, I answered. Observed their reactions. Didn't like what I saw. Did what I had to do," his lover's jaw tensed as his voice trailed off.

Tony thought for a moment and his eyes widened when he understood what Gibbs meant. "You erased their memories, as you did with Winslow."

"Yeah. From the incident to today. I erased all the knowledge they gained about vampires and us, and I implanted new memories of what happened while we were blocked in the tunnel."

"But, Boss, couldn't you have given them some more time?"

"How much more time did they need? You just needed a few hours to make your decision."

"Yes, but-"

"I couldn't afford to give them more time, Tony," Gibbs explained, his blue eyes boring into his own. "This morning in the elevator Anderson made a comment about Ziva staring at me in a strange way. He asked me if I had done something to piss her off. I answered him I made her search a suspect's garbage bins for hours and he said to watch out next time we train in the gym because she was probably out for revenge. As you know, Anderson isn't our brightest agent, so if he has noticed Ziva looking at me, others must have also. I wanted to stop this before speculations might start and reach Vance's ears. Also, I couldn't risk that David and McGee might start questioning the motivations behind my orders or actions. It's not just my life at stake—it's yours, and those of all the vampires out there." He took a deep breath and added, "I had to end it now."

Tony nodded slowly, and reached out to squeeze his lover's tense shoulder in support, "Sorry, Jethro, I know it must have hurt you to see Ducky and Abby doubt you." He pulled the older man to rest against him, and Gibbs didn't resist, posing his head on his shoulder.

"It did. Very much." He took a deep breath before going on. "She is...is my girl, and Ducky is one of my oldest friends. Seeing that look on their faces was like a stab in my gut... but I cannot say I was very surprised. Bill once told me many of our kin never reveal their true nature to their human mates and friends for fear of scaring them away. I guess sometimes not even love is enough to dispel certain deep-ingrained fears or prejudices."

Tony nodded, and kissed the top of Jethro's head. The more he knew about vampires, the happier he became he wasn't one. Eternal life looked good on paper, but the loneliness, the fear of being discovered and the secretive existence that went with it made it far less appealing. But at least vampires supported each other, and Jethro had Bill Hendricks. He had met the other vampire – a polite, scholarly young man that had turned out to be one of the oldest vampires in America – only once, but his affection for Gibbs had been obvious.

Silence fell over them for a while, as they both lost themselves in thought. When Tony decided he had let Jethro mull enough over the evening's events, he stood up and said, "Let's go to bed."

His lover looked up at him with weary eyes, "Don't think I'm up to anything tonight."

"Me neither, but I'm gonna give you a demonstration of another of your very special Agent DiNozzo's talents." He extended his hand and Gibbs took it and allowed him to help him on his feet.

They went upstairs and Tony said, "Strip and lie on the bed on your belly." Then, without waiting for an answer, he went in the bathroom and rummaged in the cabinet over the sink until he found what he was looking for, a bottle he had put there months before, but never used.

He returned to the bedroom to see Jethro had obeyed him and was now lying clad only in his boxers on the bed. The older man was punching his pillow into submission as he tried to get comfortable, something highly improbable given the tense posture of his shoulders and back.

Tony put the massage oil on the nightstand, stripped down to his briefs, and then picked up the bottle again as he straddled Gibbs' back and sat on his buttocks.

"Stop killing the pillow," he whispered. "I'll make you feel better in no time." He uncorked the bottle of oil and the scent of lavender filled the room.

"You're not gonna use that stuff on me, are you?!" Gibbs protested and turned his head over his shoulder to glare at him—or tried too, because his tense neck tendons made him grimace and stop in mid-move.

"It's a muscle relaxant, and you'll wash it away with a shower tomorrow. Now stop complaining and lay still." He poured the oil into his hand and rubbed his palms together to warm it up before beginning a long firm stroking of his lover's back.

Starting from Jethro's shoulders, Tony worked the older man's back with firm, expert strokes. He used the weight on the ball of his palms to drive up either side of Gibbs' spine and made his lover first grunt in discomfort as he dug into too tense muscles and then sigh in pleasure when said muscles began to relax and move freely under his oiled fingers.

Tony pushed Jethro's body down into the mattress as he stretched all the tiny bones in his back, then took his shoulders in his hands, one at time, rolled and twisted and compressed and rolled again as he cracked and loosened joints until Gibbs' entire upper body was supple and relaxed.

He continued his massage for several minutes more as he enjoyed the way his fingers ran along his lover's glistening, tanned skin, and the ripples his movements caused to the now relaxed flesh. By the time he decided it was enough, Gibbs had stopped making any kind of sounds. Tony looked down at him and noticed he was fast asleep.

"Mission accomplished," he said softly to himself, as he dismounted from his lover's back and went to the bathroom to wash his hands and put the oil away.

As he towelled off his hands, Tony wondered how the relationship between Jethro and his friends would suffer from today's events. Would his lover be able to treat Ducky and Abby in the same way, after he had seen suspicion and distrust in their eyes?

Probably yes.

Gibbs seldom made allowances, for anyone, himself included, but he also understood very well the difficulties humans had in accepting vampires. Tony hoped he too would be able to understand the people who had hurt his lover. Although, if he was completely honest, he had to admit that a part of him, a very egoistical part of him, was happy he was once again the only human – along with Jackson Gibbs, of course – to know Jethro's real nature.

Tony returned to the bedroom, pulled up the covers and joined his sleeping lover beneath them. He snuggled closer to the older man, kissed his cheek and took one of his lax hands in his own.

"I'm sorry about what happened, Boss," he whispered, "but I swear I'll never hurt you like that. We might argue about the job, debate about who must do the dishes and clean up after dinner, disagree about how to spend the evening or the weekend, shout at each other when we're pissed off, but I'll never, ever fear you or distrust you. I love you."

"I know," Jethro murmured sleepy, and Tony almost blushed. The promise he had just made had been to him. He hadn't meant his lover to hear it; he knew the older man was uncomfortable with declarations and promises. The older man preferred to leave facts to speak for him.

However Tony's unease disappeared as Gibbs rolled over onto his back and pulled his younger lover against him; he surrounded his back with an arm and squeezed gently, just once.

Tony rested his head on Jethro's chest, just over his heart – that generous, loving, loyal heart he had just promised to never hurt – closed his eyes and let its steady pounding lull him to sleep.

The End

Okay, I hope you enjoyed this story. I know some of you expected a confrontation between Gibbs and the team, but my real intent in this story was to show how deeply Tony is committed to it, and how much he and Gibbs trust and rely on each other. They are each's rock in a stormy sea.

This is the last tale in this "Reconnection" universe because, as much I would love to write more about Vampire! Gibbs/Tony, I can't come up with a plot. So well, if there is something YOU readers would like to see, or if you have any idea about what could happen next, no matter what it is, please PM me with it...Who knows, it could spur my muse to get back at work and we would all benefit from it! Don't be shy, PM with whatever idea you have, no matter how crazy it might be!


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